Lyng, S. (1990). Edgework: A Social Psychological Analysis of Voluntary Risk Taking. American Journal of Sociology, 95(4), 851-886. Retrieved December 7, 2015, from JSTOR.
Keywords:
edgework, risk taking, voluntary, play, control, Marx, Mead, anarchy
Abstract:
In this article Lyng introduces the concept of Edgework, which is a form of voluntary risk taking. The explanation for this is that in an increasingly institutional, systematic and controlled society, some people seek a form of experiential anarchy by participating in forms of play that involve both risk and skill. The concept is built on Marxian and Meadian psychological frameworks on risk-taking behaviour. Lyng differentiates this theory of participation in high risk behaviour in terms of general social psychological variables apart from idiosyncratic motives or personality characteristics.
Relevance:
Explanation on the need for identity search and exploration.
Quotes:
“In abstract terms, edgework is best understood as an approach to the boundary between order and disorder, form and formlessness. ” (858)
“Another category consists of testing the limits of […] mind, as illustrated by […] artists endeavoring to realize their creative potential through intense work schedules.” (858)
“…many participants regard this special “survival capacity” as an innate ability.” (859)
“participants in virtually all types of edgework claim that the experience produces a sense of “self-realization,” “self-actualization,” or “self-determination.” (860)
“Edgeworkers are not typically interested in thrill seeking or gambling because they dislike placing themselves in threatening situations involving circumstances they cannot control” (862)
“… some recognize their “real” selves only in acts of volition, behavior that conforms to high social standards, or the pursuit of institutional goals. In contrast, others see their real selves revealed only in moments of uninhibited behavior, emotional outbursts, or spontaneous expression.” (864)
“Hence, the total self is constituted by both a spontaneous and constrained self, with the character of each dimension reflecting the type of life activity that produces it.” (866)
“…the consumption imperative of the capitalist economy … encourages the development of a consumer-oriented narcissism that rules the lives of many who have the material means to purchase identity-relevant goods.” (870)
“Hence, planning is one of the components of a skillful approach to dangerous situations but is also a prerequisite for getting edgeworkers past more mundane challenges to where the edgework sensations are most intense–where one’s actions are automatic and unplanned.” (875)
Problems:
Mostly about sky divers; not much about artists.